Tony Blair in discussions to run transitional Gaza authority, BBC reports

LONDON — Former British prime minister Tony Blair is in discussions to lead a transitional Gaza authority should a ceasefire hold, according to BBC reporting. The talks involve key regional and international players seeking to end the conflict and shape the territory’s post-war governance, with a model that envisions a transitional body operating under United Nations backing and regional Gulf support before power is returned to Palestinian authorities.

Blair’s involvement appears to be part of a core set of negotiations among Washington, Arab states and Palestinian leaders about how to manage Gaza in the wake of a potential ceasefire. While there is consideration in some quarters of Blair taking a leading role, his office has said he would not support any plan that would displace Gazans or undermine their rights.

The idea of a transitional authority was discussed in high-level talks and has been cited by U.S. officials as part of broader discussions about post-war Gaza. Blair joined a White House meeting with President Donald Trump in August to discuss post-war Gaza, a session described by the U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff as very comprehensive, though officials provided few further details about the meeting.

Blair, who previously served as the Quartet’s Middle East envoy after leaving office in 2007, has long focused on economic development and the conditions necessary for a two-state solution. His involvement in any Gaza transition plan would be scrutinized in light of his past role and the contentious history of the Iraq War, for which access to weapons of mass destruction was later debated in official inquiries.

Palestinian leadership has also signaled a desire to advance negotiations toward a two-state framework. President Mahmoud Abbas said he was prepared to work with Trump and other world leaders to implement a two-state peace plan. Abbas stressed his rejection of Hamas governing Gaza and called for the group’s disarmament as a condition for broader reconciliation and a durable settlement.

Meanwhile, the international community has been dividing over recent diplomatic moves. Britain formally recognized a Palestinian state, joining Canada and Australia; France and Denmark followed suit, while Israel and the United States criticized the move as a reward for Hamas. In Britain, Labour leader Keir Starmer framed the recognition as a step toward isolating Hamas and moving toward a future in which the group has no place in government or security structures, underscoring the political complexity surrounding any transitional arrangement in Gaza.

The Gaza conflict escalated after Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and hostage-took 251 others. Since then, the territory has endured an Israeli military campaign that has left a high civilian toll. The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has reported at least 65,419 Palestinian deaths since the hostilities intensified, a figure subject to ongoing verification amid the conflict. A UN commission of inquiry has said that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, a finding Israel denies. The evolving reality on the ground continues to shape debates about governance, accountability, and the practicalities of any transitional authority.

Analysts caution that any blueprint for a transitional Gaza authority would hinge on a sustained ceasefire, credible security assurances, and the willingness of regional and Palestinian factions to accept a temporary governance arrangement. International backing, including UN legitimacy and Gulf financial and political support, would be critical to any leadership model that sought to bridge the gap between an emergency wartime environment and a longer-term political settlement. In the near term, the focus remains on negotiating terms that could enable a return to Palestinian civilian governance while addressing security, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction needs, all of which would determine whether a Blair-led transitional authority could take hold or whether another configuration might emerge.